Piper PA-28 Hard Landing at Port Alfred Aerodrome (ZS-IKJ)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 28 January 2019, a Piper PA-28-180 with registration ZS-IKJ was involved in a hard landing incident at Port Alfred Aerodrome (FAPA) in the Eastern Cape. The aircraft was operating as a solo navigation training flight under the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011, Part 141. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, departed FAPA at 0845Z with the intention of returning to the same aerodrome. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) during the day. ## Approach and Landing Sequence The pilot reported that the approach to Runway 10L was stable until just before touchdown, when a sudden increase in headwind caused the aircraft to balloon. The pilot did not correct for this balloon effect, resulting in a hard landing. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, and the pilot disembarked unassisted. The incident site was located at GPS coordinates S33°33’13” E026°52’44”, approximately 450 meters from the threshold of Runway 10L. ## Meteorological Conditions and Damage At the time of the incident, the air traffic controller reported winds variable between 090° and 100° at 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The South African Weather Service recorded winds between 30 and 35 knots. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear, propeller, engine cowling, and engine. No injuries were reported. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The investigation revealed that the aircraft was slow on approach and landed hard due to a high headwind. The failure to compensate for the increase in headwind resulted in the hard landing. The pilot held a student pilot licence and had 131.3 total flying hours, including 27.6 hours on the PA-28-180. The aircraft was airworthy and had a valid Certificate of Release to Service. The report recommended that aviation training organisations ensure students master the effects of landing in high winds before solo sign-off.